SDG 16: Peace One Day is building peace one day at a time 1MS

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SDG 16: Peace One Day is building peace one day at a time

“We are not the message; we are the messengers of other people’s action.” said Jeremy Gilley, Founder of Peace One Day

24.04.2020.

How did the Peace One Day start?

In 1999, actor turned filmmaker Jeremy Gilley set out to document his efforts to create an annual Peace Day. To this end, he founded the non-profit organization Peace One Day. In 2001 the organization’s efforts were rewarded when the member states of the United Nations unanimously adopted the first-ever annual day of global ceasefire and non-violence on 21 September – Peace Day.

Since 2001, Peace One Day’s objective has been to institutionalize Peace Day 21 September, making it a day that is self-sustaining, an annual day of global unity, a day of intercultural cooperation on an unprecedented scale.

To support this objective, and inspired by the pivotal success in Afghanistan (where a 70% reduction in violent incidents was recorded by United Nations Department of Safety and Security on Peace Day 2008), Jeremy launched a series of Peace One Day coalitions, each with a lead partner: the NGO Coalition; the ‘Reducing Domestic Abuse’ Coalition; the Student Coalition; the Faith Coalition; the Corporate Coalition; and the Schools’ Network.

In 2014 Peace One Day launched a 3-year project in the Great Lakes region of Africa. The goal was to raise awareness of Peace Day and encourage all sectors of society in the region to stand together in the name of peace on 21 September.

In 2016, after several years working with global management consulting firm McKinsey & Company, it was estimated that 2.2 billion people had been exposed to the Peace Day message, that 940 million were aware of the day and that 16 million behaved more peacefully as a result.

Through initiatives and collaborations, Peace One Day continues to encourage organizations and individuals to reduce violence at home, in the workplace, at school, in our communities, and towards our environment.

Plans are underway for Peace One Day’s 21st-anniversary celebration on 21st September 2020 in New York. Peace One Day’s goal for 2025 is to reach 3 billion people with the message of Peace Day.

Peace One Day is impartial and independent of any government, political persuasion, corporation, or religious creed.

Tell us more about Peace Day on the 21st of September.

Peace One Day led a campaign that resulted in the unanimous adoption by the UN Member States of an annual day of global ceasefire and non-violence on 21 September - Peace Day. Peace One Day’s ultimate goal is to institutionalize the day around the world, engaging all sectors of society in its observance.Notably, our campaign in Afghanistan led to wide-scale observance of the day, leading to a 70% reduction of violence on the Day and enabling health workers to vaccinate 1.5 million children as a result. We estimate that in 20151.5 billion people globally were exposed to the message of Peace Day, with 709 million aware of the day. The results show that an estimated 13 million people behaved more peacefully as a consequence of Peace Day.

What are your goals?

• Through awareness of Peace Day 21 September, to see significant growth in partnerships for a longer-lasting peace, with the participation of NGOs, individuals, and intergovernmental organizations involved in education and ending domestic violence, as well as the corporate, faith and media sectors.

• To see a significant increase in the number of people taking actions for peace in the Great Lakes region and globally on Peace Day, and a corresponding increase in life-saving and humanitarian activities.

• By the use of documentary filmmaking, music, and social media, to see a significant, measurable increase in media attention on the Great Lakes region, with particular focus on stories about individuals and groups that have embraced Peace Day towards creating a long-lasting and sustainable peace.

Get involved

Everybody, from young people in the community to older people at companies and big corporations can get involved with Peace Day celebrations through dance, music, art, sport, mass prayers or other activities on 21 September. We would like to hear what each person is doing on Peace Day and can be contacted through our Social Media channels (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram).

Visit the Peace One Day initiatives page to find out how anyone can get involved in Peace Day 21 September